Entering Restricted Fire Zone costs man $2,500

Bulletin

Entering Restricted Fire Zone costs man $2,500

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry wants to remind everyone that restricted fire zones and travel restrictions are put in place to protect the public and the Fire Rangers working on a forest fire.

A Toronto man violated an Emergency Area Order and an Implementation Order, which were put in place to protect public safety and to allow for effective forest fire suppression efforts to be carried out.

On July 28, 2018, conservation officers were notified that a man had entered a forest fire emergency area in a restricted fire zone that had been established on July 21, 2018. At approximately 11 a.m. that same day, while in a boat patrolling to make sure no one was in the restricted fire zone, conservation officers spotted Dale Roddick paddling a small canoe in the Key River Basin. This area had been declared unsafe to travel without a permit. Roddick had camped on the near shore islands of Henvey Inlet for two nights.

On July 12, 2019, before Justice of the Peace Diane Lafleur at the Ontario Court of Justice in Sudbury, Roddick pleaded guilty to violating an Emergency Area Order and Implementation Order and was fined $2,500.

Ministry conservation officers work tirelessly to help make sure we can all enjoy Ontario's natural resources in a safe and respectful manner. To report a natural resource violation, call the ministry TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free, or contact your local ministry office. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.

We need your help to solve cases. Please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips to view an interactive, searchable map of unsolved cases. You may have valuable information that can help.